1990
THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.
[No. 60

CAUSES OF DEATH.

CLASS VI.—LOCAL DISEASES.—continued.
ORDER 7:—
Diseases of Urinary System,—
Nephritis .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 .. .. .. 1
Bright’s Disease .. .. .. .. .. .. 2 .. .. 2 .. .. 2 .. .. 8
Uraemia .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 .. .. 1 .. .. 2
Suppression of Urine .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 .. .. 1

ORDER 8:—
Diseases of Reproductive System,—
Ovarian Cyst .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 .. .. .. .. .. 1
Fibroid Tumour .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1
Pelvic Abscess .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 .. .. 1

CLASS VII.—VIOLENCE.
ORDER 1:—
Accident or Negligence,—
Fracture of Skull .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1
Collision with Tramcar .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 .. .. .. 1 .. .. 2
Run over by Trap .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 .. .. 1
Run over by Traction-engine .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 .. .. 1
Crushed by Railway-truck (shunting) .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 .. .. 1
Burns .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 .. .. .. .. 1
Poison (inhaling arsenueretted hydrogen) .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 2 .. .. 2
Drowned .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 3 .. .. .. .. .. .. 3
Choked (by piece of orange) .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 .. .. 1

ORDER 3:—
Suicide,—
By shooting .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 .. .. 1 .. .. .. .. .. 2

CLASS VIII.—ILL-DEFINED AND NOT-SPECIFIED CAUSES.
Dropsy .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1
Marasmus, &c. .. .. .. .. .. .. 8 .. .. 3 .. .. 3 .. .. 3 .. .. 17

Totals .. .. .. .. 22 39 17 44 10 28 10 37 207

In the first table are given the deaths and death-rates for each of the four cities, for the suburban boroughs severally, and for each city with its suburban towns. As regards Auckland and Christchurch, the whole of the area usually recognised as suburban has not yet been brought under municipal government, and the vital statistics do not deal with such portions as still remain in road districts. But the omission is not very important, for there are in either case quite enough suburbs included within borough boundaries to give a fair idea of the death-rate of Greater Auckland and Greater Christchurch. As further boroughs are formed the vital statistics will be made to include them.

The inclusion of the suburban boroughs tends to lower the rate at Auckland, Wellington, and Dunedin, but raises it at Christchurch.

Death-rates per 1,000 of Population.

Auckland City .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1·38
and five suburban boroughs .. .. .. .. 1·06
Wellington City .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1·01
and two suburban boroughs .. .. .. .. 0·97
Christchurch City .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 0·68
and one suburban borough .. .. .. .. 0·72
Dunedin City .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 0·97
and six suburban boroughs .. .. .. .. 0·84

Including the suburbs, the rate at Auckland is the highest, and at Christchurch the lowest.

Compared with May, 1905, the results are,—

1905. 1906. Auckland and suburbs .. .. .. .. 1·06 1·06
            Wellington and suburbs .. .. .. .. 0·78 0·97
            Christchurch and suburb .. .. .. .. 1·08 0·72
            Dunedin and suburbs .. .. .. .. 1·09 0·84

Specific Febrile or Zymotic Diseases.—There were 7 deaths in the four chief cities and their suburbs caused by this class of disease during May. Diphtheria caused 1 death at Dunedin, and diarrhoeal complaints 4 at Auckland. Specific disease was fatal in 2 cases—1 at Auckland, and 1 (a child 3 months old) at Wellington.

Dietetic Diseases.—Alcoholism caused 4 deaths, 3 of these being at Dunedin, and 1 at Christchurch.

Constitutional Diseases.—There were 39 deaths from constitutional diseases during May, 17 being the result of cancer (Auckland 6, Wellington 7, Christchurch and Dunedin 2 each), and 14 of phthisis (Auckland and Wellington 3 each, Christchurch 2, and Dunedin 6). Other forms of tubercular disease resulted in 3 more deaths. Of the remaining number, 3 were caused by diabetes.

Developmental Diseases.—These caused 26 deaths, 14 being from premature birth, 1 from congenital malformation, and 11 from old age.

Local Diseases.—Of 98 deaths in May in this class at the four centres, 19 were caused by diseases of the nervous system, 25 of the circulatory, 19 of the respiratory, 19 of the digestive, 1 of the lymphatic, 12 of the urinary (8 Bright’s disease), and 3 of the reproductive systems.

Violent Deaths.—There were 15 deaths in this class at the four chief towns—13 by accident or negligence and 2 by suicide. One person was crushed by a railway-truck while shunting, 1 was choked by a piece of orange, and 2 died from inhaling poisonous fumes. Of the others, 3 were drowned, 1 died from burns, 1 was run over by a traction-engine and 1 by a trap, 1 died through fracture of skull, and 2 deaths were caused by collision with tramcars—1 in Wellington, and 1 in Dunedin. The suicides were both by shooting.